Distributing devices are useful in mass transfer to distribute fluid evenly over a large area fluid flow path. In cases of mass transfer through a membrane, the fluid should be evenly distributed over all areas of the membrane in order to achieve the optimum mass transfer. In some devices, such as parallel flow hemodialyzers in which there are many parallel membranes, even distribution must be not only across each membrane, but also to each membrane. Other uses of distributing devices of the type hereinafter set forth, include any mass transfer operation in which fluid from a single source must be distributed evenly over a large area.
Distributors of the type hereinafter set forth are often difficult to fabricate and it is this problem to which the present invention is directed, since production of the present distributor is readily adapted to high speed stamping, indexing and sealing operations.